Bed frame spring stabilizer



Feb. 20, 1951 s, 3055 2,542,904

BED FRAME SPRING STABILIZER Filed Sept. 7, 1948 Patented Feb. 20, 951

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,542,904 BED FRAME SPRING STABILIZER Thomas S. Cobb, Fort Lauderdale,Fla.

Application September 7, 1948, Serial No. 47,990

2 Claims. (Cl. -244) This invention relates to an improved bed.

In more or less recent medical practice, it has become increasingly favored, in the treatment of certain ailments, toemploy one or more boards between the mattress and springs of conventional beds, so that while the mattress will afford softness and resiliency for the person occupying the bed, the boards will, nevertheless, lend a certain rigidity to the mattress and prevent sagging of the springs of the bed or undue depression thereof at the areas of greatest weight of the person, with the result that the person will be sustained to lie more or less flat.

The objects of the present invention, therefore, are to provide a bed having a permanent surface board to receive a mattress thereon, wherein said surface board will be resiliently supported for up and down movement by unique springs especially devised for the purpose, and wherein said springs will stabilize the surface board against twisting movement relative to the bed frame as well as undue longitudinal and transverse movement relative to said frame.

Other and incidental objects will appear during the course of the following description of the invention, and in the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved bed.

Figure 2 is a detail perspective view of one of the compression spring members employed.

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of a spring unit embodying one of the spring members of Figure 2, and a coacting stabilizing spring member.

In the present instance, I have shown an oblong bed frame of wood. However, the frame may be of other shape, and the material employed may be varied to suit choice. This frame includes side rails l6, and end rails l I, both supported by legs l2 at the corners of the frame, and intermediate side and end legs l3 disposed medially between the corner legs. It should be noted that, if so desired, the side and end rails may be detachable in any approved manner while, also, the legs may, in like manner, be detachable. However, it has been found of advantage to provide a solid unitary frame, as shown, the parts of which are rigidly fastened together so that the frame may provide an unyielding structure not subject to looseness or give at any point. If so desired, the frame may be provided with conventional head and foot boards.

Fixed to the side and end rails It and H respectively in alignment with the legs l2 are corner riser blocks Hi. Like intermediate riser 2 blocks l5 are fixed to the side and end rails. in alignment with the legs It, and disposed midway between the blocks [4 and I5 are stabilizer riser blocks I6. All of these blocks may be of wood and all, at their upper ends, touch a plane common thereto.

I further provide a surface board H which is flat, substantially rigid, and stiff. The surface board conforms in contour to the outline of the bed frame, and may be of ply-wood, metal, or other approved material. However, it is desired that the surface board shall not bend or flex appreciably, either longitudinally or transversely under the weight of a person lying on the bed.

Resiliently sustaining the surface board l1, pri marily for up and down movement, are compression spring members l8. one of which is shown in detail in Figure 2 of the drawings. As will be observed, each of these spring members comprises a flat head plate l9, and a substantially U- shaped foot yoke 20 joined with the head plate by a flat zigzag spring 2| extending from one edge of the top of the yoke to an opposite edge of the head plate. The structure is preferably integral, and is formed from a blank of suitable flat resilient sheet metal.

One of the members I8 is employed at each of the blocks I4 and I 5 of the bed frame. The head plate !9 is riveted or otherwise secured against the under face of the surface board ll, while the yoke 2!), which straddles its block to rest thereon, is likewise secured to such block. Thus, the members I8 will cushion the surface board.

In conjunction with the surface board [1, I further provide a plurality of stabilizer units 22, one of which is shown in detail in Figure 3 of the drawings;

Primarily, the unit 22 comprises an elongated stabilizing spring member 23 which is formed from a blank of suitable flat resilient sheet metal. As will be observed, the end portions of the member are bent to provide substantially S-shaped springs 24 joined at their lower ends by a flat connecting strip 25, while the springs are provided at their upper ends with flat oppositel projecting terminals 26. Coacting with the stabilizing spring member 23 to form the unit 22 is one of the compression spring members is, previously described.

One of the units 22 is employed at each of the blocks 16 of the bed frame. The strip 25 of each of the spring members 23 is mortised into the upper end of its block 16, and the yoke 2|] of the coacting member 18 is arranged to straddle said strip as well as the block, being riveted or otherboard relative to the bed frame as well as longi--' tudinal or transverse movement of ,said board relative to the frame. Furthermore, due to the presence of one of the spring members ali8ib'e tween the ends of each of the stabilizing spring members 23, additional rigidity for'up "anddown movement of the surface board I! will :be pro-:

vided at the points of the units 22, as compared with the points of -,the lspringrmembers 4.8 .alone.

Having thus described ,.my invention, v.I .lclaim:

1,. Albedjinoluding .aframe, a stiff and substantially rigi'd surface .board adapted to receive a mattress ;thereon, .eompression spring -members connecting said board with the frame .and-yielm ablyvsustainingthe hoardfor upand downmovementrrlati-ve to rthejframeflandstabiliZingspring units disposed between the frame and surface boar'diand fixed to .the'frame at points alongithe frame between. said compressionspring members, said .units including elongated stabilizing spring members'the lend portionsof which'iare shapedjso provide 5-.shapecl springs formed Lat their illfie ends with q nositely projecting terminals :se- 35 Number cured .to the surf ace board, .saidrstabilizing spring 4 members being adapted to resist movement of the board in the plane thereof relative to said frame.

2. A bed including a frame, a stiff and substantially rigid surface board adapted to receive a mattress thereon, and spring units connecting said board with the frame and each including an elongated stabilizing spring member having the end portions thereof fashioned to S-shape' and secured to the surface board, and a coacting compression springmemberihaving a head plate sepured to thesurf-ace board'between the ends of the stabilizing spring member, a foot yoke stra dling the bottom portion of the stabilizing spri g ,membernandrsecured to the frame for binding t e stabilizing spring member to the frame, and a *zigzagsspringgextending between said foot yoke and head plate, said spring members being each "formed from'ab'larm of flat resilient sheet metal.

7 THOMAS S. COBB.

, REFERENCES CITED 'U-NITED 'S'I'ATES PATENTS Number Name Date 18,630 Colton ;Nov. 17. 1857 .,57;U03 (Smith .Aug, fl, 1866 114,704 .Osgood i s .Nov. -,9, 1871 185,851 Cobb Jan. 2, 1-877 1367,? 72 'Wolf et a1.in. .i iAugll2,1887 2,49,03 67 .Greenhi11. :Dec'. .1943

FOREIGN PATENTS Country "Date @1515 Great Britain A .181? 

